Transportation Mode of the Week
05.10.06
1. Biking through the Big Apple
Volume 5, Number 49
May 10-24, 2006
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Site Design/Subway Photo:
Fred Gates Design, New York.
Amy Bolger/amybolger.com
Track racing kicks off at the Kissena Velodrome,
photo by Amy Bolger /www.amybolger.com
Multiple venues
http://www.transalt.org/calendar/bikemonth2006
http://www.kissena.info/track/track.html
May is filled with dozens of special bike tours, repair workshops, rallies, and more. Below are some of the highlights; visit twi-ny.com for more programs and rides, taking New Yorkers through all five boroughs and beyond. With all the battling over gas prices, now’s the time to get on that two-wheeler and show the world you care.
Wednesday, May 10
through
Saturday, May 20 Kissena Track Racing, Kissena Velodrome, Parson Blvd. & Booth Memorial Pkwy., http://www.kissena.info
Wednesday, May 10 Parks Advocacy Day, City Council Offices, 250 Broadway, 8:00 am
Wednesday, May 10 Manhattan Evening Ride, Plaza Hotel Fountain, Fifth Ave. at 58th St., 6:45 pm
Thursday, May 11 Queens Greenway Ride, Loeb Boathouse, Central Park, 10:00 am — 4:30 pm
Thursday, May 11 Fix Your Bike Workshop, 40 East Houston St. between Mott & Mulberry Sts., 6:30
Friday, May 12 Time’s Up! Bike Lane Liberation Ride, Washington Square Park Arch, 7:30 am
Friday, May 12 Brooklyn Critical Mass, Prospect Park North, Grand Army Plaza, 7:00 — 11:30 pm
Saturday, May 13 Ladies Ride to Coney Island, Prospect Park North, Grand Army Plaza, 9:00 am — 2:00 pm
Saturday, May 13 Tour Greater Downtown Brooklyn’s Growing Bicycle Network, Cadman Plaza Park, Tillary St., 10:00 am
Saturday, May 13 Rockaway Beach Branch Bike Tour, Rego Park Library, 63rd Dr. & Austin St., 10:00 am — 1:00 pm
Saturday, May 13 Bike the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail, Broadway & 242nd St., 10:00 am — 5:00 pm
Saturday, May 13 Bridge Battle 2, 23rd St. & East River Park, 1:00 — 3:00
Saturday, May 13 STILL WE RIDE, screening and Q&A, Vox Pop Café, 1022 Cortelyou Rd. at Stratford, $5 suggested donation for Time’s Up! Legal Defense Fund, 6:30
Saturday, May 13 Prospect Park Moonlight Ride, Grand Army Plaza, 9:00
Sunday, May 14 Rockaway Greenway Roundabout, Brooklyn Borough Hall, 9:00 am — 1:00 pm
Sunday, May 14 Montauk Metric Training Ride #4: Ridgewood, Columbus Circle, 9:00 am — 2:00 pm
Sunday, May 14 Off-Road Vistas: The Old Put and the Croton Aqueduct, Van Cortlandt Park, West 241st St. at Broadway, 9:00 am — 2:00 pm
Sunday, May 14 Memorial Ride for Andre Anderson, Union Square South, 12 noon — 4:00
Monday, May 15 Ladies’ Bicycle Repair Night, 49 East Houston St. between Mott & Mulberry Sts., 6:30
Tuesday, May 16 Staten Island Borough President’s Breakfast, St. George Ferry Terminal, 7:30 am
Tuesday, May 16 Ride the Loops of Central Park, Loeb Boathouse, 10:00 am
Wednesday, May 17 The Ride of Silence, Union Square North, 7:00 pm
Thursday, May 18 Wave Hill, Loeb Boathouse, Central Park, 10:00 am — 4:00 pm
Friday, May 19 Fourth Annual One Speeder Pro Am, Central Park, east end of 102nd St. Transverse, 7:00 pm
Friday, May 19 Cyclone Ride, Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge at 7:00 pm or Carroll St. Drawbridge between Nevins & Bond Sts. at 7:25
Saturday, May 20 Wandering to Wave Hill, Columbus Circle, 9:00 am — 2:00 pm
Saturday, May 20 Pedal & Paddle Day, River Park 180th St. & Boston Rd., 9:00 am — 4:00 pm
Saturday, May 20 Blue Collar Waterfront, Cadman Plaza West at Clark St., 10:00 am — 1:00 pm
Saturday, May 20 The Ethnic Apple Tour, Pedal Pusher Bike Shop, Second Ave. at 69th St., 10:00 am — 4:00 pm
Saturday, May 20 Braking the Cycle Information Session, the LGBT Center, 208 West 13th St., 6:30
Saturday, May 20 Green Apple Downtown Cycling Tour, 6BC Botanical Garden, East Sixth St. between Aves. B & C, 12 noon — 2:30
Saturday, May 20 Second Annual Bicycle Fetish Day, Havemeyer between Hope Metropolitan, 12 noon — 6:00 pm
Saturday, May 20 Small-Wheeled Bike Race, Bethesda Terrace, 72nd St., Central Park, 1:00
Saturday, May 20 Revelocity, Dich Shea Studios, 104 West 14th St., with live bands and DJs, 9:00 pm — 12 midnight
Saturday, May 20
and
Sunday, May 21 SONYA Studio Stroll 2006, free self-guided artists’ studio tour beginning at 1110 Fulton St. and going through Bed-Stuy, Clinton Hill, and Fort Greene, 12 noon — 6:00 pm
Sunday, May 21 42nd Annual Montauk Century Ride, 6:00 am — 6:00 pm
Sunday, May 21 NYARA Urban Bike-O! Union Square, 12 noon — 4:00 pm
Sunday, May 21 Time’s Up! Bike Lane Liberation Ride, Washington Square Park Arch, 2:00 — 4:00 PM
Monday, May 22 Bike Night at the Brooklyn Brewery, 6:30 pm
Monday, May 22 Putting the Brakes on Street Harassment, 49 East Houston St. between Mott & Mulberry Sts., 8:00 — 12 midnight
Tuesday, May 23 Ride the Loops of Central Park, Loeb Boathouse, 10:00 am
Tuesday, May 23 Tenth Anniversary Swift Folder Open House, 280 Nevins St., 6:00 pm
Wednesday, May 24 NY to Maryland Ride, West 94th St. at Broadway, 4:00 am — 12 midnight
Wednesday, May 24 Westside Greenway Tour, George Washington Bridge Bus Station, Fort Washington between 178th & 179th Sts., 6:00 pm — 12 midnight
http://www.powerhousebooks.com/titless06/pedal.html
http://www.petersutherland.net
Born in Michigan and raised in California, photographer and filmmaker Peter Sutherland has been documenting the street culture of New York City since his move here in 1998. His previous book, AUTOGRAF: NEW YORK CITY’S GRAFFITI WRITERS (powerHouse Books, 2004, $29.95), included portraits of fifty-three local graffiti legends. This month sees the release of PEDAL, a beautiful paperback that contains nearly one hundred images taken at the July 2005 Cycle Messenger World Championships, held in New York and New Jersey. The book opens with text by current and former bike messengers and/or street artists Zephyr, Ken Miller, and Swoon, set on shiny red paper. The photos themselves show bike messengers in their element, readying their equipment, standing and posing, relaxing on the grass, showing off their tats, tumbling in the street, or speeding around a track. They’re a proud — and surprisingly well organized — bunch. "Being at the CMWC sort of felt like being in a heavy metal show’s parking lot combined with an Olympic time trial," Sutherland writes in the afterword. "It’s a funny mix of cigarettes, alcohol, intense athleticism, and expertise." His photos capture that spirit exceptionally well.
PEDAL: Photographs and film directed by Peter Sutherland, film produced by Ana Lombardo, published by powerHouse Books, available at www.powerHouseBooks.com
The book comes slipcased in a box with an expanded DVD of Sutherland’s excellent documentary PEDAL, a highlight of the 2001 SXSW festival. Running fifty-two minutes, Sutherland, who worked on the skateboard film STOKED: THE RISE AND FALL OF GATOR (Helen Stickler, 2002), follows bike messengers around the city as they make their runs, talking about being chased by the police’s bike squad, getting hit by cars, knowing every nook and cranny of every street, organizing themselves, and just struggling to get by like the rest of us. For this special breed, it’s "ride or die," as one messenger says. Often using a fish-eye lens, Sutherland introduces us to Skeletor, a Bronx-born bike messenger who’s been on the go for a decade; Evangelis, who spreads the word of the Lord as he rides and regrets having made a delivery to 666 Fifth Ave., "the Devil’s Building"; Kid, who claims to be the best messenger and dispatcher around ("We own the streets," he says); Steve, who started his own bike messenger service but misses the days when he was delivering envelopes and packages that keep the business of New York City running; one-legged Dexter, who doesn’t let his disability slow him down from his appointed rounds; and Eric, a proud, poor messenger who lives in a disgusting room underground. To balance things, Sutherland also features Ed Koch, whose administration tried to ban bike from certain streets; a member of the NYPD bike unit, whose primary job is to ticket bike messengers; and a cabdriver who considers bike messengers a "menace" and wouldn’t mind running them down if they get in his way. PEDAL is a thrilling whirlwind of a film, both frightening and freeing, revealing that bike messengering isn’t a subculture; it’s part of New York City’s culture. The DVD includes seventeen cool minutes of deleted scenes that didn’t make in into the original cut.
Screen grab from PEDAL: Photographs and film directed by Peter Sutherland, film produced by Ana Lombardo, published by powerHouse Books, available at www.powerHouseBooks.com
Anthology Film Archives
32 Second Ave. at Second St.
May 10-14
Tickets: $10.50
Festival Pass: $47
212-505-5181
http://www.bicyclefilmfestival.com
http://www.anthologyfilmarchives.org
Bike Month continues with this film festival at Anthology, which includes screenings of Peter Sutherland’s PEDAL (2001) as well as other features and dozens of shorts. Do your best to ride your bike over there instead of taking a cab or a bus.
Thursday, May 11 LOW ART (Ben Wu, 2004), THE BICYCLE (Anthony R. Manzo, 2005), and B.I.K.E. (Jacob Septimus and Anthony Howard, 2006), 7:00, 9:00, 11:00
Friday, May 12 BEST CHECKPOINT EVER (Araby Williams and Marius Farioletti, 2006), BICYCLE MESSENGERS (Joshua Frankel, 2005), GASOLINE VS YOGURT (Neistat Brothers, 2006), BIKE ON BIKE (Hannah Ford, 2006), 95TH BERLIN SIX DAYS (Mortimer Slomo, 2006), SOME THINGS RIDE A BICYCLE (Chris Jolly, 2006), NO ROOM FOR NACHOS (Nathaniel Kim, 2006), GOD’S CHILDREN (Andrew Katzman, 2005), THE BREATH (James Connelly, 2006), Lucas Brunelle Video (2006), KISSENA (Kareem Black, 2006), M.A.S.H. (Mike Martin and Gabe Morford, 2006), 7:00, 9:00, 11:00
Saturday, May 13 Street party featuring bike games, skid contests, ramps, track competitions, and more, free, 1:00 — 7:00
Saturday, May 13 BMX Program: MOVEMENT BARN AND BAREND JAM (Alex Rankin, 2006), PROGRESSION THROUGH OBSESSION (Brian Hinckley, 2006), RIDESPHERE (Masashi Nakamura, 2006), TOKYO BANDITS!!!! (Takashi Ito, 2006), REDBULL MEANSTREETS (Mohihan Mohinan and Chris Nieratko, 2005), 1:00
Saturday, May 13 THE WINKING CIRCLE (short version) (Benny Zenga, 2005), LOW ART (Ben Wu, 2004), TRAINING WHEELS (Ramsey Beyer, 2005), THE RED BICYCLE (Greg Johnson, 2006), OFF THE BEATEN TRACK (Leo Bridle, 2004), BIKE TRIP (Patrick Trefz, 2005), TUESDAY NIGHTER (Mike Wolf and Andrew Yates, 2006), THE ENTHUSIAST (Blaise Cepis, 2005), MILK (Hiroumi Mitoni, 2006), LOOK (Willow Watel Robin, 2006), WHAT’S YOUR NAME: A BICYCLE ODYSSEY (Claudine Ko, 2006), "Fools Life" by Dr. Dog (Jamie Paul Quantrill, 2005), DEATH RACE 2005 (Michael Green, 2006), RIDE ON (Kim Jensen, 2006), 3:00
Saturday, May 13 Mountain Bike Video Bash, 5:00
Saturday, May 13 RIDE ON (Kim Jensen, 2006), and PEDAL (Peter Sutherland, 2001), with on-screen presentation of photos from PEDAL the book, 7:00
Saturday, May 13 RIDE ON (Kim Jensen, 2006), and PEDAL (Peter Sutherland, 2001), with on-screen presentation of photos from PEDAL the book, followed by after-party, 9:15
Sunday, May 14 SELLING THE REVOLUTION (Liz McGregor, 2005), YOU CAN’T GET THERE FROM HERE (Liss Platt, 2005), CARAVAN/PRAGUE (Zack Winestine, 2006), 2:00
Sunday, May 14 The Bicycle Film Festival DVD, 4:00
Sunday, May 14 RACING TO NOWHERE (Philip Outram, 1968), FOR A YELLOW JERSEY…(POUR UN MAILLOT JAUNE) (Claude Lelouch, 1965), SPINNING WHEELS (Jack R. Greenwood), 6:30
Sunday, May 14 BOB’S YOUR UNCLE (David F. Vilaca, aka Chipmessiah, 2006),
MEMORIAL RIDE (Andrew Lynn, 2006), URBAN CYCLES (Annie Weinmayr, 2006), VILLAGE BICYCLE PROJECT (Tricia Todd, 2006), A DAY IN KISUMU (Irvin Coffee, 2006), PLAY (Keith Malik and Max Goldstein, 2006), YOU RIDE RIGHT THROUGH ME (Andrea Aimi, 2006), GASOLINE VS YOGURT (Neistat Brothers, 2006), TO THE SEA (Stephen Swift, 2006), RUSHING RIVER (Michelle Chai, 2005), RIDE ON (Kim Jensen, 2006), CRIMINAL MASS (Christopher Ryan, 2006), followed by after-party, 8:30
bikethebigapple.com
Bike the Big Apple takes a water break in Queens
Fee: $59-$69, includes bike, helmet, and licensed guide
201-837-1133 / 877-865-0078
Every Friday Back to the Old Country: from Brooklyn Bridge to Roosevelt Island and more, 10:15 am
Every Sunday The Sensational Park and Soul Tour: through Central Park and Harlem, 10:15 am — 2:15 pm
Saturday, May 13, 20 The Great Brew, View, and Chocolate Bike Tour: over the Williamsburg and Brooklyn Bridges, with visits to Hasidic Williamsburg, the Brooklyn Brewery, and the Jacques Torres Chocolate Shops, 10:15 am — 4:15 pm
© 2006 Todd Eberle
View of new Madison Ave. entrance, April 2006
225 Madison Ave. at 36th St.
Closed Mondays
Admission: $12
212-685-0008
Built between 1902 and 1906 and first opened to the public in 1924, the gorgeous library of art collector and ruthess financier Pierpont Morgan has been closed since May 4, 2003, undergoing a major renovation and expansion. Nearly three years, $133 million, and 46,477 tons of excavated Manhattan schist later, the new Morgan Library & Museum has at last been unveiled. Renzo Piano was the principal architect behind the project, which adds 75,000 square feet to the museum, including a lovely new entrance on Madison Ave., a four-story steel-and-glass-central piazza, and a cube-shaped gallery. (The exhibition space is nearly double what it had been.) The much-talked-about piazza connects the original library, designed by Charles McKim, with the brownstone Morgan House and Benjamin Wistar Morris’s 1928 Annex Building. The wide-open piazza is filled with light and features a glass elevator; many of the elements match the shapes and colors of the windows and stone in the previous buildings, although we still think that the southeast corner looks more like scaffolding than a finished design. In addition to the gallery space, the main floor features the Morgan Café and the fancier Morgan Dining Room, in which portraits of Mr. & Mrs. Morgan and their two children watch over you. On the lower level, Gilder Lehrman Hall is a stunning performance facility, with plush red seats and cherry-wood paneling. The new gallery rooms are simple, almost too plain. And you can still wander through J.P. Morgan’s study, the magnificent Rotunda (with beautiful lunettes and apse reliefs), and the library itself, which no longer holds any displays.
The Pierpont Morgan Library
"Adoration of the Shepherds" and "Fall of Man," Farnese Hours, in Latin, illuminated by Giulio Clovio, 1546
The Morgan Library & Museum
http://www.morganlibrary.org
In celebrating its grand reopening, the Morgan has put together a greatest hits package, featuring some 300 pieces out of its collection of more than 350,000 objects. The Clare Eddy Thaw Gallery, housed in the new cube, is home to Pierpont Morgan’s Medieval Treasury, where you’ll find the twelfth-century Lichtenthal Casket, the Malmesbury Ciborium, and the remarkable Stavelot Triptych, a twelfth-century Belgian True Cross reliquary; the piece has been restored and the velvet removed, so get up close to bask in its glory. In the Annex’s Marble Hall, Ancient Near Eastern Seals will remain on view through November 12. In the Morgan Stanley Gallery East, an exquisite exhibition of drawings will be on display through July 2, including works by Rubens, Van Dyck, Constable, Gainsborough, Blake, Hogarth, Pollock, Picasso, van Gogh, Cezanne, Rembrandt, Michelangelo, and so many others; we particularly love Greuze’s "Portrait of Denis Diderot," Turner’s "The Passion of St. Gotthard, Near Faido," and Gris’s "Man with Opera Hat." In the Morgan Stanley Gallery West, Printed Books and Bindings as well as Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts will be shown through September 10; don’t miss the Visconti-Sforza Tarot Cards and one of the Morgan’s Gutenberg Bibles, both from the mid-fifteenth century.
The Pierpont Morgan Library
Gustav Mahler, Symphony no. 5, autograph manuscript of the full score (1903)
Stop by Sargent’s portrait of Mrs. J.P. Morgan Jr. as you make your way up the stairs to the Engelhard Gallery; allow for plenty of time in this large room, which houses, through September 3, Music Manuscripts and Books in addition to Literary and Historical Manuscripts, from original, marked-up works by Beethoven, Cage, and Mozart to Wilde, the Austens, and Galileo, from Bach, Mahler, and Chopin to Browning, Potter, and Pound; highlights include a page from Dickens’s OUR MUTUAL FRIEND, Dylan’s handwritten lyrics for "It Ain’t Me, Babe" on hotel stationery, and a Poe story on a twelve-foot scroll. On the lower level is a look at the history of the Piano project.
twi-ny/mdr
McKim puts himself in the picture
Architect Charles McKim was not allowed to sign his name anywhere upon his shining achievement. However, McKim did autograph the building nonetheless; walk east down 36th St. and look up at the final carvings on the upper frieze at the east end of the wall. If you take a close gander at the sphinx, you’ll notice that it’s a man’s face, not a woman’s, which it should be. Yes indeed, it is actually the sweet punim of architect Charles McKim.
© 2006 Todd Eberle
View of new Gilder Lehrman Hall, March 2006
Morgan Library
Gilder Lehrman Hall
http://www.morganlibrary.org/public/default2.asp
Wednesday, May 24 Siegfried Sassoon: Poet of Conflict, lecture by Lord Max Egremont, $30, 6:30
Thursday, June 8 "Apt Admonishment": Wordsworth as an Example, lecture by Seamus Heaney, $30, 6:30
Wednesday, June 14 Give My Regards: Landmark American Songs in a
Great American Landmark, with Harolyn Blackwell, soprano, and William Hicks, pianist, $40, 6:30
Thursday, June 15
through
Thursday, July 27 Ten Decades, Ten Treasures: six lectures with curators beginning with overview by museum director Charles E. Pierce Jr. (June 15) followed by Literary and Historical Manuscripts (June 22), Ancient Near Eastern Seals and Tablets (June 29), Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts (July 6), Printed Books and Bindings (July 13), Drawings and Prints (July 20), and Music Manuscripts and Books (July 27), $115 for full series, $20 individual, 6:30
Marc Smith, Danyel Fisher, Tony Capone
Treemap View of 2004 Usenet Returnees, 2005
Science, Industry and Business Library
Healy Hall
188 Madison Ave. at 34th St.
Through August 31
Closed Sundays
Admission: free
212-592-7000
http://nypl.org/research/calendar/exhib/sibl/siblexhibdesc.cfm?id=421
http://vw.indiana.edu/places&spaces/nypl
Would-be cartographers will find a lot to see in this exhibit of maps, globes, and interactive illuminated diagrams that trace scientific development, covering such topics as anthrax, evolution, DNA, the Internet, patents, the Periodic Table, and Napoleon’s march to Moscow.
CUNY Graduate Center
365 Fifth Ave. at 34th St.
Admission: free unless otherwise noted
212-817-8215
http://www.gc.cuny.edu/events/index.htm
Thursday, May 11 Documentary Theatre: An Evening with Writer-Performer Marc Wolf, Martin E. Segal Theatre, 6:30
Friday, May 12 Intermedia Arts Group Presents: ARTIFACTS – An Evening of Interactive Music and Media, Martin E. Segal Theatre, 7:30
Monday, May 15 A Talk by Brent Scowcroft, Former National Security Advisor, $15, 6:45
Thursday, May 18 CUNYarts: an evening of award-winning film, fiction, and poetry from MFA students throughout the CUNY system, Martin E. Segal Theatre, 6:30
Friday, May 19
through
Sunday, June 25 Image War: Contesting Images of Political Conflict, Wednesday through Sunday from 12 noon —6:00
Monday, May 22 "Intelligent Design" Under the Microscope, 5:00 — 9:00
Wednesday, May 24 Argentinean Theatre: Buenos Aires in Translation (BAiT), Martin E. Segal Theatre, 6:30
The Kitano New York
66 Park Ave. at 38th St.
Wednesday through Friday at 8:00 and 9:45
No cover; $10 minimum per set unless otherwise noted
212-885-7119
After taking in the new Morgan and wandering around the Murray Hill neighborhood, stop by the Kitano for some live jazz to continue your cultural adventure of this historic district.
Wednesday, May 10 George Colligan Trio
Thursday, May 11 Roberta Piket Trio
Friday, May 12
and
Saturday, May 13 Bruce Barth Trio, $20 cover, $10 minimum
Wednesday, May 17 Ayako Shirasaki Trio featuring Clarence Penn
Thursday, May 18 Adam Birnbaum Trio
Friday, May 19
and
Saturday, May 20 Mark Soskin Quartet, $20 cover, $10 minimum
Wednesday, May 24 Jeb Patton Trio
twi-ny/mdr
St. Mark’s Church has been a part of New York for more than two hundred years
131 East Tenth St. at Second Ave.
Admission: free
212-674-6377
http://www.stmarkschurch-in-the-bowery.com
In 1660, New Amsterdam governor Peter Stuyvesant built a chapel on the current site of St. Mark’s Church. His descendant Petrus Stuyvesant donated the property to the Episcopal church in 1793, and the earliest version of St. Mark’s was consecrated in 1799. For the next two hundred years plus, St. Mark’s has been an integral part of the religious, social, political, and cultural fabric of the East Village community. A bronze lion on a pedestal with his paw on a shield watches over St. Mark’s from the sidewalk; as you approach the main entrance, surrounded by a cast-iron gate topped with sharp gothic spires, you will be flanked by Solon Hannibal Borglum’s deteriorating Indian statues, "Aspiration" and "Inspiration," and two more lions flank the front doorways. Walk to your right first, where you’ll come upon a bust of Peter Stuyvesant, with long hair and arms folded, designed by a man named Dupuis and presented to "Saint-Mark’s-in-the-Bouwerie" by Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands in 1915. Nearby, on the church’s stone facade, is a plaque announcing that "In this Vault lies buried Petrus Stuyvesant." In fact, numerous vaults can be found in this section of the grounds, including the final resting places of such famous New York names as Schermerhorn, Tompkins, Lorillard, and van Beuren. (In the southeast corner, there is also a fountain dedicated to Elizabeth Spingler van Beuren.) Pass by the big bell and, before going inside, check out the plaques dedicating trees to poets Ted Berrigan, Michael Scholnick, W.H. Auden, Paul Blackburn, Frank O’Hara, and Allen Ginsberg. (The latter includes his quote "I here declare the end of the War!" and is representative of the church’s social stance.)
twi-ny/mdr
Stained-glass windows shed light on St. Mark’s
Step into the community room, where homeless people come to eat under a large blue and white bas relief by Andrea della Robbia of an angel praying at Mary’s feet, a dove flying above and between them. Go through the doors to your left to enter the main sanctuary, which features exquisite stained-glass windows depicting biblical scenes, saints, and Peter Stuyvesant again. Upstairs are far more abstract, brightly colored stained-glass windows by Harold Edelman (from the 1980s), with pairs dedicated to the fires of creation and purification; prayer, incantation, and fidelity; peace; fertility, birth, and resurrection; and the covenant. In the small chapel there are two more windows by Edelman, the upper Rose Window and the lower Griffin Window. On either side of the chapel are murals honoring the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Archbishop Oscar Romero (the El Salvadoran priest and human-rights advocate who was assassinated in 1980), as well as a photograph of Dorothy Day, cofounder of the Catholic Worker Movement. Go downstairs and out the back to see more of the cemetery, which features poems, more vaults, the Garden of Healing, a smiling scarecrow, and plenty of figures, religious and otherwise, carved into the paths; there is also a swirling, colorful mosaic. And, along with fallen, fading pillars are children’s toys, adding splashes of vibrant life to this otherwise serene spot. Wrap around toward the front to find O. Grymes’s bust of Daniel D. Tompkins, "a great American" who was governor of New York and vice president of the United States. To find out more about St. Mark’s, take your time and read "Changing Publics: A Bicentennial Timeline," which hangs on the church gates along Second Ave. And keep on reading below to see the plethora of special events that are held at this historic landmark.
St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery
131 East Tenth St. at Second Ave.
Donation: $10-$15
212-477-1594
http://downtownmusicproductions.org/pages/fset.html
Sunday, May 14 Part of the East Village Concert Series, with Bruce Lazarus, Robert Mobsby, Richard Hoyt, Ilsa Gilbert, Kurt Alakulppi, Peter Maxwell Davies (Yellow Cake Revue), Michael Schilke, Laura Wolfe, Dave Eggar, Mimi Stern-Wolfe, and more, 3:00
St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery
131 East Tenth St. at Second Ave.
Admission: $8
212-674-0910
http://www.poetryproject.com/calendar.html
Wednesday, May 10 Brian Evenson & Ted Pelton, 8:00
Wednesday, May 17 Stephen Burt & Michael Scharf, 8:00
Friday, May 19 Implicit/Complicit: Performance by My Invisible, 7:00
Monday, May 22 Aase Berg & Lara Glenum, 8:00
Wednesday, May 17 Robert Hershon & Harvey Shapiro, 8:00
Ontological-Hysteric Theater / the Poetry Project
St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery
131 East Tenth St. at Second Ave.
Tickets: $7, festival pass $20
212-420-1916
http://www.poetryproject.com/calendar.html
Thursday, May 11 Micro-Plays by poet + theater allstars, followed by opening-night party at the Bowery Poetry Club, featuring Tuli Kupferberg’s "Drinking Songs for Karl Marx"
Friday, May 12 Plays written by Charles Borkhuis, Brian Kim Stefens, and David Henderson, Ontological Theater, 7:00
Saturday, May 13 Plays written by Laynie Browne, Julie Patton, and Carla Harryman, Ontological Theater, 7:00
Sunday, May 14 Plays written by Kevin Killian & Dodie Bellamy and Bob Holman & Bob Rosenthal, Ontological Theater, 7:00
Monday, May 15 Plays by Reed Bye, Corina Copp, Rachel Levitsky, Chris Stroffolino, Genya Turovskaya, Rodrigo Toscano, and Jacqueline Waters, St. Mark's Church Parish Hall, 8:00
St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery
131 East Tenth St. at Second Ave.
212-674-8194
http://www.danspaceproject.org
Thursday, May 11
through
Sunday, May 14 City/Dans: Heidi Latsky Dance, DISJOINTED, $15, 8:30
Saturday, May 13 DraftWork: Virginia Comonwealth University, VCU Dance, Traffic @ St. Mark’s, free, 3:00
Thursday, May 18
through
Sunday, May 21 City/Dans: Christopher Williams, excerpts from THE PORTUGUESE SUITE and THE GOLDEN LEGEND, $15, 8:30
Ontological-Hysteric Theater
St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery
131 East Tenth St. at Second Ave.
212-420-1916
Thursday, May 11
through
Sunday, May 14 Noise! A Sound Performance Festival, $7, festival pass $20, nightly at 10:00
Thursday, May 18
through
Sunday, May 21 Summer Series I: BRIDE, by Kevin Augustine’s Lone Wolf Tribe, $15, 8:00
twi-ny/mdr
Compass shows the way to St. Mark’s
Intersection of Third Ave., Ninth St., and Stuyvesant St.
This gated garden sits at a busy intersection, where most people just walk past it, but it’s worth a few minutes to check it out. Although you can’t go inside this triangular area, you can look through the cast-iron gates or the circular molded viewing spots. Amid the blooming daffodils and cherry blossoms is a wacky compass centered by an eight-pointed star topped by a red and purple stanchion.
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Tibetan Tsampa is a hidden culinary treasure in the East Village
212 East Ninth St. between Second & Third Aves.
212-614-3226
We started going to Tsampa, one of the city’s very few Tibetan restaurants, a few months ago, and we keep going back, bringing new friends each time because it’s just that good. Nestled in the narrow street past the George Hecht Viewing Gardens, Tsampa is a darkly lit, welcoming place with Tibetan art, photographs of the Dalai Lama, colorful tapestries, and a gracious and accommodating staff. Go with a group and start with a selection of momo, steamed or fried dumplings filled with different combinations of chicken, potatoes, and vegetables, accompanied by red or green hot sauce that is really hot. Other worthwhile appetizers are the Tibetan crepe known as phing alla, stuffed with vegetables, and the shiitake pancake, but go heavy on the sauce. Tsampa serves no beef, but there’s plenty of chicken and fish dishes in addition to vegetarian plates. Gyathuk ngopa consists of wonderful baked noodles with chicken and vegetables. We instantly fell in love with the gooey Tibetan bean thread noodles in phing sha. Tsampa salmon comes in a tasty apple-juice Teriyaki sauce. The desserts at Tsampa are rather odd and take a little getting used to; desi is a strange little basmati rice pudding with raisins and yogurt, while the house specialty is a mixture of roasted ground barley, yogurt, and honey with dried cranberries. Go ahead and try them, but share them, and be prepared to go elsewhere if you need other types of sweets. The name Tsampa comes from a staple food of Tibet, usually made with barley flour, salty tea, and yak butter.
25 Third Ave. between St. Marks Pl & Ninth St.
212-529-6924
http://continentalnyc.com/schedule.html
With CBGB on its way out, there are fewer and fewer clubs where you can check out up-and-coming bands for just a few bucks, especially places with a cool history, like the Continental. Stop in for a few shows and marvel at the photos on the wall of so many familiar faces who made it after playing this dive.
Friday, May 12 Fuzztongue, 9:15; New Theory, 10:45; the Newtz, 11:30; Jesus Knevil, 12:15; Ruin Her, 1:00, $5 over twenty-one, $8 under
Saturday, May 13 A Better Version, 8:00; Slow to Scorch, 9:30; Inside Hollow, 10:15; Tragic Orange, 11:00; the Anywheres, 12 midnight, $10
Sunday, May 14 Thunderbrew, 7:30; the Infinite Staircase, 8:15; Patrick Arthur in the Assassins, 9:00; Root Zero, 9:45; the Bad Scene, 10:30; Hyena Snarls, 11:15, no cover
Friday, May 19 Screaming Mimi, 10:00; Stumble Top, 10:45; Face First, 11:30; Full Molder, 12:15; Bullcock, 1:00, $5 over twenty-one, $8 under
Saturday, May 20 J.P. Corwyn, 9:30; The Mighty Weaklings, 10:15; the Ordinary, 11:00; Gag Order, 12 midnight, $5
Monday, May 21 Amateur Female Jello Wrestling, with Kelly Buchanan and Jessi Robertson, ladies free, men $5 with a girl, $10 without, 6:30 wrestle lesson, 8:00 show
twi-ny/mdr
The Second Ave. Deli is now a ghost of good times past
156 Second Ave. at Tenth St.
http://www.rkf.com/listings/NEW/156SecondAve_main.asp
One of the best and most beloved delis in the city was shut down in January, the victim of a rent hike. As one online petition to save the restaurant explained, "For many, the Second Avenue Deli represents more that a mere restaurant. It is an institution that symbolizes the old Jewish neighborhood on the Lower East Side and the diverse culture of the East Village." The Second Ave. Deli had quite a history, from its humble beginnings in 1954 through its hiring of onetime porn king Al Goldstein as a host in 2004. In 1996, owner Abe Lebewohl was killed in a still-unsolved murder, and his brother, Jack, took over. The next year, the small area around the flagpole across the street, in front of St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, was named Abe Lebewohl Park. (The flagpole was presented by the Ukrainian Americans of Greater New York and "dedicated to American heroes of all nationalities who died for their country in the Second World War.") The Second Ave. Deli’s corned beef and pastrami were legendary; we last ate there in late December, when the place was packed, as usual, with no inkling that it was on its way out. Now it sits empty, wrapped in a "Retail Space Available" sign; next to the menu in the window is a notice of closure from the marshal’s office. After visiting St. Mark’s, stop by and pay tribute to this king of delis, as well as the people it honored; thankfully, the sidewalk still contains plaques celebrating such Yiddish stars as Molly Picon, Fyvush Finkel, and architect Daniel Libeskind, "Friend of Folksbiene." But who knows whether the next owner will get rid of these. By the way, the new tenant is unlikely to be Hooters; somebody played a joke recently by placing signs in the window announcing that the chain was moving in soon.
twi-ny/mdr
Fab black-and-white pots encased in Midtown
The UBS Art Gallery
1285 Sixth Ave. between 51st & 52nd Sts.
Monday through Friday, 8:00 am — 6:00 pm
Through May 19
Admission: free
212-713-2885
http://www.ubs.com/1/e/about/sponsor/culture/ubs_art_gallery/great_pots.html
Ceramics really aren’t our thing, so it was with much hesitation that we approached one of our favorite lobby galleries. But we were more than pleasantly surprised to be engaged by more than 150 unique pots from the collection of the nonprofit Newark Museum. Divided into three primary categories — Beautiful Pots, Useful Pots, and Wise Pots — the exhibit is further broken down into such disciplines as the Impossible Pot, the Narrative Pot, the Classic Pot, functional and nonfunctional pots, Sculptural Form, and the Open Vessel. Mostly grouped in glass cases, the pots on view range from the simple and practical to the hysterically ridiculous, each one an individual work of art. Red Welson Sandlin’s "Behind Quiet Veils of the Blue Willow Pagoda" incorporates Asian influences and storytelling devices, as does Bernard Leach’s stoneware "Vase with Image of Leaping Salmon." Richard Notkin’s "Curbside Teapot" depicts a three-dimensional street scene with a dog, a tire, and pipes. Babs Haenen’s "Iced Stem Cup" is wonderfully fragile. Tony Marsh’s "Seven-Lobed Perforated Vessel" is full of holes. Piet Stockman’s "Object with a Box" contains multiple blue-and-white pieces. We also got a kick out of Matt Nolen’s "Apothecary Jar 4: Implants," Fred Tschirner and William Long’s "Flat," Chris Gustin’s twisty "Light Grey Vessel," and a whole bunch more.
Richard (cowriter Paddy Considine) goes on the warpath in his hometown
Cinema Village
22 East 12th St. between University Pl. & Fifth Ave.
Opens Friday, May 12
Tickets: $10
212-924-3363
http://www.godwillforgivethem.com
Shane Meadows’s violent revenge drama is a gripping, haunting thriller set in a small British Midlands village. Paddy Considine, who cowrote the script with Meadows, stars as Richard, an army veteran who returns to his hometown seething with vengeance, calmly and precisely going after a motley group of misfit drug dealers who wronged his brother, Anthony (Toby Kebbell), a sweet, innocent simpleton. One by one, Richard surprises Gypsy John (George Newton), Tuff (Paul Sadot), Big Al (Seamus O’Neill), Herbie (Stuart Wolfenden), Jo (Jo Hartley), Patti (Emily Aston), Soz (Neil Bell), Mark (Paul Hurstfield), and the man most responsible for the abusive treatment of Anthony, Sonny (Gary Stretch). Richard wreaks his vengeance without remorse and with a lot more, um, creativity, should we say, than Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) in DEATH WISH (Michael Winner, 1974). Meadows’s film is a melange of slasher flick, horror film, and family drama set in a lovely location that hides terrible secrets. The cool soundtrack includes several songs by Calexico as well as Smog, the Earlies, Aphex Twin, DM & Jemini, and others.
Conus Archive
Controversial new doc looks at the life and career of America’s Mayor
Landmark Sunshine Cinema
143 East Houston St. between First & Second Aves.
Opens Friday, May 12
Tickets: $10.75
212-330-8182
http://www.landmarktheatres.com/Market/NewYork/NewYork_frameset.htm
Documentarian Kevin Keating, who has worked on films by such legends as the Maysles brothers and Barbara Kopple, makes his full-length directorial debut with this examination of the life and career of Rudolph W. Giuliani, who just might be considering a run for the White House in 2008. Mixing archival footage with new interviews, the movie is reminiscent of Michael Moore’s FAHRENHEIT 9/11 (2004), although Keating stays out of things himself. Instead he lets the pundits and politicians, commissioners and citizens do the talking, including former mayors Ed Koch and David Dinkins, former top cop Bill Bratton, former schools chancellor Rudy Crew, former presidential candidate Ralph Nader, ACLU guru Norman Siegel, Republican congressman Peter King, art activist Robert Lederman, man about town Al Sharpton, television star Donald Trump, the Manhattan Institute’s Myron Magnet, and, primarily, Wayne Barrett, the Village Voice journalist whose book RUDY! AN INVESTIGATIVE BIOGRAPHY OF RUDOLPH GIULIANI serves as the foundation for the film. First delving into Rudy’s childhood and supposed re-creation of some of the facts — according to Barrett, Giuliani’s father and uncle both had mob ties — Keating follows Rudy’s rise to power, from his days as an assistant U.S. attorney under the Reagan administration through his two terms as mayor of the City of New York and his Senate race against Hillary Clinton. Along the way he tales a close look at such controversial topics as Haitian refugees, the Broken Windows policy, poverty and workfare, the Abner Louima and Amadou Diallo cases, school vouchers, the homeless, racism, free speech, art and religion, and the Zero Tolerance approach to crime. GIULIANI TIME shows America’s Mayor to be a highly ambitious, petty bully who twists facts and outright lies to get what he wants, stomping over anyone who gets in his way — including the people of the city he loves. The film ends with Giuliani being celebrated around the world because of his leadership on and after September 11.
Petersen tries for underwater triple play with POSEIDON
Opens Friday, May 12
http://www2.warnerbros.com/poseidon
As David Blaine recently found out, water is not always your friend. It’s New Year’s Eve, and revelers are partying it up on the massive cruise ship Poseidon, when a rogue wave hits out of nowhere, turning the luxury liner upside down. While Captain Michael Bradford (Andre Braugher) urges the frantic passengers to remain calm in the ballroom, a small group of people decide to try to make it out on their own, led by minor-league gambler Dylan (Josh Lucas), a loner who cares only about himself. Joining him are Ramsey (the ever-youthful Kurt Russell), the former mayor of New York City; his daughter, Jennifer (Emmy), and her fiancé, Christian (Mike Vogel); a single mother, Maggie (Jacinda Barrett), and her young son, Conor (Jimmy Bennett); a kitchen worker (Freddy Rodriguez) and Elena (Mia Maestro), the woman he sneaked on board; Lucky Larry (Kevin Dillon), a sexist blowhard; and Richard Nelson (Richard Dreyfuss), a suicidal architect. Together they battle fire and water, glass and steel, as one after another fails to make it to the next scene. Unfortunately, about the only thing director Wolfgang Petersen (DAS BOOT, THE PERFECT STORM) and screenwriter Mark Protosevich kept from Ronald Neame’s awesome 1972 epic THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE is the general set-up; all of the clichéd characters and lame dialogue is new. (However, someone does fall down into the colorful skylight again.) POSEIDON has its moments, and everyone struggles forth gamely, but it really isn’t a movie that needed to be made. You’re much better off renting the original, which featured a great cast: Gene Hackman, Roddy MacDowall, Red Buttons, Carol Lynley, Stella Stevens, Jack Albertson, and the awesome pairing of Ernest Borgnine and Shelley Winters. THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE came in a decade when they really knew how to make disaster movies — THE TOWERING INFERNO (John Guillermin, 1974), EARTHQUAKE (Mark Robson, 1974) — actually developing characters and story rather than letting special effects do all the talking.
Landmark Sunshine Cinema
143 East Houston St. between First & Second Aves.
Opens Friday, May 12
Tickets: $10.75
212-330-8182
http://www.landmarktheatres.com/Market/NewYork/NewYork_frameset.htm
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/gehry_f.html
http://www.sonyclassics.com/comingsoon.php?filmid=307&page=1
Director Sydney Pollack (THE WAY WE WERE, TOOTSIE) turns his handheld camera on his friend Frank Gehry in this entertaining, informal documentary on the renowned architect, which recently played the Tribeca Film Festival. Gehry, the subject of a major retrospective at the Guggenheim in 2001, is one of the most innovative architects in the world, combining form and function with an artist’s sensibility. Pollack takes the audience to some of Gehry’s most famous creations, from the stunning Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain to the Vitra Design Museum in Germany, from the Walt Disney Concert Hall in L.A. to the fabulously bizarre Nationale-Nederlanden Building in Prague. (The curved glass and protruding concrete structures are affectionately known as Fred and Ginger because it looks as if the buildings are dancing together.) We also get to see several private residences designed by Gehry, including his own in Santa Monica. Gehry is comfortable in front of the camera as he speaks with Pollack about going to Hebrew School in Canada (his real name is Frank Goldberg), the nature of art and inspiration, and his love for hockey and fish. We also get to meet his design team and see how they work together in an atmosphere that fosters creativity and interaction. Among the talking heads filled with praise for Gehry are Dennis Hopper, Julian Schnabel (oh-so-cool in a bathrobe and sunglasses), the late Philip Johnson, Mike Ovitz, Michael Eisner, Barry Diller, Bob Geldof, and Ed Ruscha. Pollack also sits down with such Gehry critics as Hal Foster, who derides his unusual designs. Pollack makes himself part of the film, not only asking questions and chatting with his subject but also having a camera filming him filming Gehry, giving SKETCHES a low-key, PBS feel to it, which is not surprising, as it will be seen on the American Masters series later this fall. And for you die-hard Gehry fans out there, his brand-new jewelry line is now available at Tiffany’s.
In theaters now
http://www.missionimpossible.com
J.J. Abrams, the creator of LOST and ALIAS, follows in the footsteps of previous M:I directors Brian De Palma and John Woo and outdoes them both with this pulse-pounding third entry in the action-packed series, his stunning feature-length debut. Like James Bond (George Lazenby) in ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE (Peter R. Hunt, 1969), Hunt is looking to settle down, giving the audience a rare glimpse of his emotional makeup. He has left the field, serving in the much safer capacity of trainer and evaluator of future agents. He is also madly in love with Julia (Michelle Monaghan), who works at a local hospital and has no idea what he really does for a living. When his boss, Musgrave (a rather dapper Billy Crudup), tells him that Agent Lindsey Farris (Keri Russell) has been captured, Hunt reunites with Luther (Ving Rhames) and teams up with operatives Declan (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and Zhen (Maggie Q) to rescue Farris from the clutches of the extremely dangerous Owen Davian (a deliciously evil Philip Seymour Hoffman). After their plan goes awry, Hunt is sucked back into a world he thought he was done with — jeopardizing both his life and Julia’s as he battles Davian in Berlin, Shanghai, and the Vatican. There’s lots of gunfire, amazing stunts (Cruise again does most of his own), plenty of explosions, and high-tech gadgetry galore, as well as a dearth of laughably silly scenes that hampered the first two films. Abrams has really upped the ante, making a terrific thriller that is filled with surprises. The theme music this time around comes courtesy of Kanye West. Fans of Abrams and LOST will get a kick out of the organization thanked at the end of the closing credits: the Hanso Foundation.
Futuristic Korean fantasy features fabulous ballet of blood
Now available on DVD
Min Byung-chun’s NATURAL CITY is a futuristic fantasy that mixes BLADE RUNNER (Ridley Scott, 1982) and THE FIFTH ELEMENT (Luc Besson, 1997) with LOGAN’S RUN (Michael Anderson, 1976) and CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (J. Lee Thompson, 1972). It’s 2080, with time-limited cyborgs serving the public in myriad ways, including as exotic dancers. Evil rogue robot Cyper (Jung Doo-hong) has broken into a command center, leading a rebellion to preserve cyborgs so their AI chips don’t wear out. Special agent R (Yoo Ji-tae) is called in by Noma (Yoon Chan) to find and destroy Cyper, but R has other plans — he is illegally harvesting AI chips in a desperate attempt to prolong the life of his companion, a pole-dancing cyborg named Ria (Seo Rin). To do so, he needs the cooperation of the lovely and misguided Cyon (Lee Jae-un), whether she wants to give it or not. This South Korean hit has lots of beautifully photographed and choreographed slow-motion violence, plenty of confusing plot holes, Holodeck-like otherworldly bubbles, and a great, creepy character in Dr. Giro. The DVD includes a cool behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film that reveals some neat tricks.
http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780345464781
A few issues back, we raved about Charlie Huston’s awesome new novel, ALREADY DEAD, a vampire noir set in the filthy streets of New York City. We so loved his writing that we went back to his first book, CAUGHT STEALING, and were blown away again. High school baseball star Hank Thompson busts up his leg pretty good, ending a promising athletic career. Years later, instead of celebrating fame and fortune, Hank is a soused ne’er-do-well with bad feet and no luck — but he still remembers to call his mother and tell her that he loves her. One day a bunch of track-suited dudes beat the holy crap out of him, destroying one of his kidneys, and he has no idea why. He shortly finds out that he is a mere pawn in an extremely dangerous and bloody game that involves the Russian mob, his neighbor’s cat, a pair of mysterious brothers, and a very dirty cop. Every time there seems to be no way out, Hank is able to somehow sneak through, only to run into something worse waiting for him around the bend. CAUGHT STEALING is a great pulp noir, a gripping read written by the current master of the genre. Every sentence comes alive, jumping off the page with wild imagination and thrilling language. And perhaps best of all, Huston once again gets New York City right, making it a living, breathing character all its own. Immersed in the story, we were poring through it while walking across Sixth Ave. when a stranger looked at us and shouted, "That’s a great book!" Yes indeed, CAUGHT STEALING is a tremendous book.
http://www.picadorusa.com/product/product.aspx?isbn=0312425783
Touré’s book of music and pop-culture essays, published previously in such arenas as Rolling Stone, Icon, the New York Times, the New Yorker, XXL, and Suede, in addition to unpublished pieces, is a great history of the personalities and conflicts of Hip Hop Nation, circa 1979-2005. Touré has a unique ability to get celebrities to talk about their personal lives, including their experiences growing up, which is the real stuff of Hip Hop. In NEVER DRANK THE KOOL-AID, he gives insight into why 50 Cent feels he is a target of multiple contracts on his life, what really went on when Lauren Hill "went crazy" and stopped producing records, why many consider Jay-Z to be a genius (he never writes anything down), what’s in Suge Knight’s fish tank, why D’Angelo doesn’t like "being treated like a piece of meat," and what a good father Eminem is -- or at least is trying to be. Touré isn’t afraid to get connected to the music and musicians, writing as both a fan and an advocate, which helps make his good pieces excellent and thought-provoking, like the emotional "I’m Resigning from the Hip Hop Nation" story he wrote for the Village Voice after Biggie’s murder. However, the depth of Touré’s connection can make a reader question the title’s premise: Has Touré perhaps had a little Kool-Aid himself? When he describes the bulletproof vest 50 Cent had made for his infant son for stage appearances, Touré notes that "it was cute and funny but no one laughed." The non-Kool-Aid response might have been closer to "50 is crazy! He’s taking his little baby son Marquis onstage with him in a tiny bulletproof vest? What exactly is wrong with 50?" Touré also shares insightful comments on Condoleezza Rice, Mary J. Blige, Tupac Shakur, Jam Master Jay, Kanye West, DMX, Jennifer Capriati, and himself. Although some of the pieces may have a bit of Kool-Aid flavor -- sometimes he’s just not tough enough on his subjects -- Touré clearly knows what he is talking about. And he knows he knows. Which is all part of the fun.
http://souadmassi.artistes.universalmusic.fr
http://wrasserecords.com/artists/info/14.html
In July 2004, we raved about Souad Massi’s breakthrough CD, DEB (HEART BROKEN), and her fabulous free show at Central Park’s SummerStage. The Algerian-born, Paris-based Massi has released her follow-up, HONEYSUCKLE (MESK ELIL), and it’s another winner, even if it is more subdued and not as overwhelming as DEB. Again singing about loss, betrayal, and heartbreak, Massi gets things going with the mellifluous "Soon ("Kilyoum"), singing (in Arabic), "We live in solitude / Everyone closes their door / We cannot escape our destiny / And we hurt," in her unique Middle Eastern pop mix. The melody line in "That’s Life" ("Denya Wezmen") is haunting and mysterious. "Inspiration" ("Ilham") is the catchiest tune on the album; try your best joining in on the chorus. Violins make the title track overly sentimental, but you’ll bop around a bit to the next song, "I Won’t Forget My Roots ("Manensa Asli [Miwawa]"), a duet with Daby Touré. "My Grandfather’s House" ("Dar Dgedi") is a sweet look back at a different time and a different world, followed by the beautiful, emotional "There’s Worse" ("Hagda Wala Akter"). The bilingual "Tell Me Why," a duet with Pascal Danaé, features the only English on the album. A sadly determined Massi closes the disc with "Why Is My Heart Sad" ("Malou"), singing, "Around me, words slay / Dreams are shattered / If I could erase my destiny and rewrite it…" HONEYSUCKLE also contains a bonus track, a seven-minute funky electronica remix of "Inspiration" that is both fun and silly.
All contents copyright 2006 by Mark Rifkin and twi-ny. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted without written permission. Please note that events, dates, and prices are subject to change.
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World Financial Center Courtyard Gallery
225 Vesey St.
Admission: 212-945-2600
http://www.worldfinancialcenter.com/calendar
Thursday
through
Saturday, May 27 Rodney Graham: Reverie Interrupted by the Police, Thursdays through Saturdays from 2:00 to 8:00
Wednesday, May 17 Christian Marclay, featuring the Elliot Sharp Trio and the Okkyung Lee Trio, free tickets must be picked up beginning at 5:00 in the Winter Garden day of show, 8:00
Wednesday, May 24 The Books, free tickets must be picked up beginning at 5:00 in the Winter Garden day of show, 8:00
Dahesh Museum of Art
580 Madison Ave. at 57th St.
Admission: free
212-759-0606
http://daheshmuseum.org/publicprograms_events
Wednesday, May 10
and
Thursday, May 11 An Exhibition of Jewelry by Depy Chandris; the Dahesh’s "Masterworks from the Kelly Collection of American Illustration" will be open as well, 6:30 — 8:30
Lighthouse International
110 East 60th St. between Lexington & Park Aves.
Tickets: $10, four-day pass $30
212-821-9445
http://www.lighthouse.org/events/posh.htm
Thursday, May 11
through
Sunday, May 14 Fundraiser for Lighthouse International, featuring new and "gently used" clothing from dozens of designers, including Bill Blass, Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Carolina Herrera, Chanel , Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Dolce & Gabbana, Donna Karan, Escada, Fendi, Ferragamo, Geoffrey Beene, Giorgio Armani, Givenchy, Gucci, Hermes, Jil Sander, Juicy Couture, Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren, Prada, Richard Tyler, Tahari, Thierry Mugler, Ungaro, Valentino, Versace, Yves Saint Laurent, Zac Posen, and many more, 11:00 am — 7:00 pm
TriBeCa Performing Arts Center
199 Chambers St. between Greenwich & West St.
http://tribecapac.org/music.htm
Friday, May 12 Willard Jenkins interviews NEA Jazz Master John Levy, followed by a Q&A, free, 7:00
Friday, May 12 Louis Hayes’ Cannonball Legacy Band, $25, 8:30
Japan Society
333 E. 47th St. at First Ave.
Tickets: $30, two-day pass $46
212-832-1155
Friday, May 12
and
Saturday, May 13 Experimental avant-garde music featuring Tzadik, Makigami Koichi, Yamataka Eye, Haino Keiji, Mike Patton, Jim O’Rourke, Mori Ikue, and John Zorn, 7:30
St. Ann’s Warehouse, 38 Water St.
BKLYN DESIGNS Gallery, 37 Main St.
Blockparty, 267A State St.
Admission: $12
718-875-1000
http://www.brooklyndesigns.net/index.htm
Friday, May 12
through
Sunday, May 14 Exhibition and sale of Brooklyn-made furniture, lighting, decorative accessories, and more, as well as seminars, panel discussions, lectures, a stroller contest, related displays throughout DUMBO, and more
BAMcinématek
BAM Rose Cinemas
Brooklyn Academy of Music
30 Lafayette Ave. between Ashland Pl. & St. Felix St.
May 11-21
Tickets: $10
718-636-4100
http://bam.org/sundance/index.aspx
If you couldn’t deal with the massive crowds at this year’s Sundance Film Festival in Colorado, BAM is bringing the festival to Brooklyn, screening works that made a splash this time around, in addition to special panel discussions and other events that are part of the Sundance Institute. Tickets are going fast, so act quickly or miss your chance to experience Sundance in the world’s greatest borough.
Friday, May 12 THE SHORT LIFE OF JOSÉ ANTONIO GUTIERREZ (DAS KURZE LEBEN DES JOSÉ ANTONIO GUTIERREZ) (Heidi Specogna, 2005), 4:00
Friday, May 12 Unraveling THE USUAL SUSPECTS: A Look Inside the Making of an Independent Film Classic, panel discussion with Christopher McQuarrie, moderated by Peter Hedges, 6:50
Friday, May 12 STEPHANIE DALEY (Hilary Brougher, 2005), 9:30
Saturday, May 13 THE SHORT LIFE OF JOSÉ ANTONIO GUTIERREZ (DAS KURZE LEBEN DES JOSÉ ANTONIO GUTIERREZ) (Heidi Specogna, 2005), 12:30
Saturday, May 13 Creating STEPHANIE DALEY: The Creative Journey of Writer/Director Hilary Brougher, 3:00
Saturday, May 13 IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS (James Longley, 2005), 5:45
Saturday, May 13 TV JUNKIE (Gaspar Noé, Richard Prince, Sam Taylor-Wood, Marina Abramovic, Matthew Barney, Marco Brambilla, Larry Clark, 2005), 8:30
Saturday, May 13 DESTRICTED (Michael Cain and Matt Radecki, 2006), 11:30
Sunday, May 14 Sundance Shorts, 12:30
Sunday, May 14 Sundance Shorts, 3:30
Sunday, May 14 AMERICAN BLACKOUT (Ian Inaba, 2006), 3:30
Sunday, May 14 Discovering Stringbean and Marcus: A Screenplay Reading of a Work-in-Progress, waitlist only, 6:00
Sunday, May 14 SON OF MAN (JEZILE) (Mark Dornford-May, 2005), 6:15
Sunday, May 14 FORGIVEN (Paul Fitzgerald, 2005), 9:15
Monday, May 15 THE SHORT LIFE OF JOSÉ ANTONIO GUTIERREZ (DAS KURZE LEBEN DES JOSÉ ANTONIO GUTIERREZ) (Heidi Specogna, 2005), 6:40
Monday, May 15 Sundance Theatre Songbook, with composers and lyricists Mark Bennett, Mark Campbell, Kirsten Childs, Scott Frankel, Michael Friedman, Jenny Giering, Ricky Ian Gordon, Michael Korie, Andrew Lippa, Steven Lutvak, Steven Sater, Duncan Sheik, Michael Torke, and Stewart Wallace, table seating $25 plus $10 food and drink minimum, standing room $20, 8:00
Monday, May 15 SON OF MAN (JEZILE) (Mark Dornford-May, 2005), 9:30
Tuesday, May 16 AMERICAN BLACKOUT (Ian Inaba, 2006), 6:40
Tuesday, May 16 Sundance Shorts, 9:30
Wednesday, May 17 THE TRIALS OF DARRYL HUNT (Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg, 2005), 6:40
Wednesday, May 17 DESTRICTED (Michael Cain and Matt Radecki, 2006), 9:40
Thursday, May 18 BEYOND BEATS AND RHYMES: A HIP-HOP HEAD WEIGHS IN ON MANHOOD IN HIP-HOP CULTURE (Byron Hurt 2005) and GESTURE DOWN (I DON’T SING) (Cedar Sherbert), 4:00
Thursday, May 18 IN BETWEEN DAYS (So Yong Kim, 2006), 6:40
Thursday, May 18 WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE STORY (Goran Dukic, 2006), 9:30
Friday, May 19 THE FOOT FIST WAY (Jody Hill, 2005), 4:00
Friday, May 19 SHERRYBABY (Laurie Collyer, 2005), 6:50
Friday, May 19 BAMcafé Live: Sundance Composers — Raz Mesinal and Gyan Riley, no cover, $10 food and drink minimum, 9:00
Friday, May 19 BEYOND BEATS AND RHYMES: A HIP-HOP HEAD WEIGHS IN ON MANHOOD IN HIP-HOP CULTURE (Byron Hurt, 2005) and GESTURE DOWN (I DON’T SING) (Cedar Sherbert), 9:45
Saturday, May 20 THE TRIALS OF DARRYL HUNT (Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg, 2005), 1:00
Saturday, May 20 IN BETWEEN DAYS (So Yong Kim, 2006), 4:00
Saturday, May 20 FORGIVEN (Paul Fitzgerald, 2005), followed by Q&A moderated by Dan Klores, 6:30
Saturday, May 20 STEPHANIE DALEY (Hilary Brougher, 2005), 9:00
Saturday, May 20 BAMcafé Live: Sundance Composers — Maya Beiser & Friends, no cover, $10 food and drink minimum, 9:00
Saturday, May 20 THE FOOT FIST WAY (Jody Hill, 2005), 11:30
Sunday, May 21 An Afternoon of Films and Conversation, with Allison Anders, Hal Hartley, David O. Russell, and John Waters, moderated by Janet Maslin, discussion $15, discussion and any one of the below four screenings $20, 2:00
Sunday, May 21 Four Independents that Turned the World: GAS FOOD LODGING (Allison Anders, 1992), 12 noon
Sunday, May 21 Four Independents that Turned the World: SPANKING THE MONKEY (David O. Russell, 1994), 12:05
Sunday, May 21 Four Independents that Turned the World: THE UNBELIEVABLE TRUTH (Hal Hartley, 1989), 12:10
Sunday, May 21 Four Independents that Turned the World: POLYESTER (John Waters, 1981), 12:15
Sunday, May 21 WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE STORY (Goran Dukic, 2006), 3:30
Sunday, May 21 BEYOND BEATS AND RHYMES: A HIP-HOP HEAD WEIGHS IN ON MANHOOD IN HIP-HOP CULTURE (Byron Hurt 2005) and GESTURE DOWN (I DON’T SING) (Cedar Sherbert), 6:30
Sunday, May 21 SHERRYBABY (Laurie Collyer, 2005), 9:00
All events approximately 11:00 am - 6:00 pm unless otherwise noted
Admission: free
http://www.nyctourist.com/st_fairs_calendar.htm
http://nycstreetfairs.com/sched.html
http://www.clearviewfestival.com
Friday, May 12 Civic Community Day Fair: Murray St. between Broadway & Church St.
Saturday, May 13 Gramercy Park Neighborhood Festival: Park Ave. South between 17th & 23rd Sts.
Saturday, May 13 23rd St. Festival: 23rd St. between Seventh & Eighth Aves.
Saturday, May 13 Third Ave. Festival: Third Ave. between 14th & 23rd Sts.
Sunday, May 14 Amsterdam Ave. Fair: Amsterdam Ave. between 96th & 106th Sts.
Sunday, May 14 Broadway Festival: Broadway between 14th & 18th Sts.
Friday, May 19 Financial Community Day Festival: Maiden Ln. between Water & South Sts.
Saturday, May 20 Astor Pl. Festival: Astor Pl. between Lafayette St. & Broadway
Saturday, May 20 Graham Ave. Fiesta: Graham Ave. between Boerum St. & Broadway
Saturday, May 20 Children of the World Festival: Sixth Ave. between 42nd & 56th Sts.
Saturday, May 20
and
Sunday, May 21 Ninth Ave. International Food Festival: Ninth Ave. between 37th & 57th Sts.
Sunday, May 21 Park Slope Fifth Ave. Festival: Fifth Ave. between 14th St. & Flatbush Ave.
Sunday, May 21 Fifth Ave. Arts & Crafts: Fifth Ave. between First & Berkely Sts.
Historic Battery Park
917-613-5117
http://www.cff.org/Great_Strides/find_a_walk_site/index.cfm
Saturday, May 13 Cystic Fibrosis fundraiser, featuring a walk around the esplanade, sponsored workouts, massages, giveaways, lunch, prizes, and an after-party at Battery Gardens, with a silent auction, 9:00 am
Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden
421 East 61st St. between First and York Aves.
Tickets: $18, reservations required
212-838-6878
http://www.mvhm.org/pages/events/events.htm
Saturday, May 13 Elizabeth Knight, tea sommelier for the St. Regis, discusses the history of tea, followed by a tea tasting with scones and a book signing, 12:30
Central Park, Rumsey Playfield, East 72nd St.
Tickets: $10 in advance, $15 at the gate (includes one-year subscription to Self)
212-488-6523
http://www.nyc.gov/html/sports/html/self_workout_day.html
Saturday, May 13 Thirteenth annual event, featuring beauty and fitness experts, cardio striptease, hip hop bhangra, RetroRobotics, Bikini Body Bootcamp, yoga, Pilates, and kickboxing, 11:00 am — 3:00 pm
The Balance
215 West 28th St.
http://www.museumoftheamericancocktail.org/cocktail200/index.html
Saturday, May 13 Celebrating two hundred years of the American cocktail, including presentations by mixologists, hors d’oeuvres, raffle prizes, and cocktails
St. Joseph’s Church
Washington Pl. & Sixth Ave.
Tickets: $15-$20
212-517-1776
http://www.westvillagechorale.org
Saturday, May 13 Thirty-fifth Anniversary Concert: West Village Chorale with the Dalton Chorus, featuring Bruckner’s Mass No. 2 in E minor, Stravinsky’s Mass, Handel’s Coronation Anthem: Zadok the Priest, and excerpts from Mozart’s Serenade for Winds, K361, 8:00
Merchant’s House Museum
29 East Fourth St. between Lafayette St. and the Bowery
Tickets: $50 per couple, additional guests $20, reservations required
212-777-1089
Sunday, May 14 Traditional afternoon tea with clotted cream and jam, finger sandwiches, frosted confections, English tea, and a tour of the museum, 1:30 & 3:00
Bellevue Hospital
Rotunda
462 First Ave. at 27th St.
Admission: free
212-263-3973
http://www.blreview.org/BlrEvents.htm
Sunday, May 14 Poetry reading with Joan Malerba-Foran, Gibson Fay-LeBlanc, Judy Rowley, and Cynthia Cruz, followed by wine-and-cheese reception, 5:00
Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust
36 Battery Pl.
Tickets: $50 brunch & program, $18 program only
646-437-4202
http://www.mjhnyc.org/safrahall/visit_safra_hall7.htm
Sunday, May 14 Brunch at 11:30 am, followed by panel discussion with Judy Gold and Tovah Feldshuh, moderated by Deborah Tannen, 1:00
New York Road Runners
Central Park East Drive at 70th St.
Entry fee: $17-$35, kids races $5-$7
212-860-4455
http://www.nyrr.org/race/2006/r0514x00.php
Sunday, May 14 Registration 7:00 am, Domestic Violence Awareness Pavilion opens 7:30, Co-ed 5K at 8:00, Women’s Half-Marathon at 9:00, kids races (two to twelve) at 9:45
Makor Theater
Steinhardt Building
35 West 67th St. between Amsterdam & Columbus Aves.
212-601-1000
Sunday, May 14 Reading + Discussion: An Evening with Neil LaBute, $15, 7:00
Barbès
376 Ninth St. at Sixth Ave.
Park Slope, Brooklyn
First Monday night of the month at 7:00
Admission: free
718-965-9177
http://www.barbesbrooklyn.com/tcc.html
Monday, May 15 DAGUERRÉOTYPES (Agnès Varda, 1978)
Glucksman Ireland House
New York University
One Washington Mews at Fifth Ave.
Admission: free
212-998-3950
http://www.nyu.edu/pages/irelandhouse/calendar.html
Monday, May 16 SWANSONG by Conor Mac Dermot Roe, 7:30
Monday, May 23 THE ROYAL BED by Saunders Lewis, 7:30
Session 73
1359 First Ave. at 73rd St.
212-517-4445
Wednesday, May 17 Popular blues band plays songs from GOOD GRAVY and more, 9:00 pm — 1:00 am
Eldridge Street Synagogue
12 Eldridge St. between Canal & Division Sts.
212-219-0888
http://www.eldridgestreet.org/programs_c.htm
Thursday, May 18 World of Our Fathers, with Janna Malamud Smith and Hugh Roth reading from upcoming memoirs about their fathers, Bernard Malamud and Henry Roth, $5, 7:00
National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts
Huntington Library
5 East 89th St. at Fifth Ave.
212-369-4880 ext225
http://www.nationalacademy.org
Thursday, May 18 Nancy Mallow on the work of such architects as Sant’Elia, Hugh Ferris, Constant Neuwinghuis, and John Hejdek, $5, 6:30
Northsix
66 North Sixth St. between Kent & Wythe Aves.
718-599-5103
Thursday, May 18 DKT with MC5 members Wayne Kramer, Michael Davis, and Dennis Thompson, joined by Marshall Crenshaw and Handsome Dick Manitoba, $25, 8:00
92nd St. Y
1395 Lexington Ave. at 92nd St.
Kaufmann Concert Hall
212-415-5500
http://www.92ndsty.org/calendar/calendar.asp
Thursday, May 18 Seamus Heaney, $17, 8:00
Wednesday, May 24 André Gregory’s BONE SONGS, $17, 8:00
Housing Works Used Book Café
126 Crosby St. between Houston & Prince Sts.
Benefit concert: $25
Admission: free
212-334-3324
http://www.housingworks.org:8080/usedbookcafe/UsedBookCafe_Events.jsp
Friday, May 19 Alec Ounsworth, Richard Julian, and Fernando Saunders, 7:30
The Whitney Museum of American Art at Altria
120 Park Ave. at 42nd St.
917-663-2645
http://whitney.org/www/programs/eventcalendar.jsp
Friday, May 19 King Britt presents Sister Gertrude Morgan, free, 7:00
Pier 94 New York: The UnConvention Center
54th St. & 12th Ave.
Tickets: $20, does not include tastings ($2-$8 each)
800-555-MENU
http://www.nyculinaryfestival.com
Friday, May 19
through
Sunday, May 21 Three days of food from such restaurants as Artisanal, Woo Lae Oak, Osteria Gelsi, Payard, WD-50, Citarella, Maison, Petrossian, and Megu, with live music by Parrot Beach, Ike, Berlin, Nashville Attitude, Heather Luttrell, Deanna Johnston, Tara Slone, and Spin Doctors, Sunday Gospel Brunch, all-day Sunday jazz, demos by François Payard, Yoel Cruz, Nicole Kaplan, Martin Howard, Jackie Gordon, and other chefs, lectures and seminars, the Golden Fork Awards, food and beverage exhibits, and much more
Marymount Manhattan College / South Asian Women’s Creative Collective
221 East 71st St.
May 19-21
http://www.sawcc.org/mixed.html
Friday, May 19 Kickoff Reading and Reception, with Amitav Ghosh, Vijay Seshadri, and Sara Suleri Goodyear, $15, 7:00
Saturday, May 20 South Asian Youth Literature, panel discussion with Ruth Jeyaveeran, Mitali Perkins, Marina Budhos, and Monika Jain, moderated by Pooja Makhijani, free, 11:00 am
Saturday, May 20 Supporting Your Habit: Making a Writing Life, panel discussion with Sejal Shah, Ravi Shankar, Joseph Legaspi, and Geeta Dayal, moderated by Mahmud Rahman, free, 3:00
Saturday, May 20 Dance and Music Performances, "Mustard Seed" by Malini Srinivasan and works by others, $10, 6:30
Sunday, May 21 The Business of Writing, panel discussion with Anjali Singh, Ayesha Pande, Rajni George, and Joel Ariaratnam, moderated by Samantha Edussuriya, free, 11:00 am
Sunday, May 21 Mixed Messages: South Asian Literature and New Media, panel discussion with Anna John, Ravi Shankar, Yesha Naik, and Ram Devineni, moderated by Amitava Kumar, free, 3:00
Sunday, May 21 Showcase of South Asian women writers, MC’d by Bushra Rahman, with Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, Yesha Naik, and Sejal Shah, $5, 5:30
Mercury Lounge
217 East Houston St. at Ave. A
Tickets: $15
212-260-4700
http://www.mercuryloungenyc.com
Saturday, May 20 Malin performs at 11:00, preceded by Danny Sage and Don Dilego
Sunday, May 21 Malin performs at 10:00, preceded by the Coydogs and Emily Esterly
Boscobel Restoration, Garrison
Tickets: $75 adults, $25 kids nine to seventeen
800-21-RIVER x 231
http://riverkeeper.org/events_story.php/1133
Sunday, May 21 Seventeenth annual event, honoring fortieth anniversary of Riverkeeper, featuring yoga for kids, boat building, kayaking lessons, harnessed tree climbing, fly fishing, landscape photography, organic and environmentally friendly food and beverages, and live performances by Black 47, Dar Williams, Uncle Wade, and more, 12 noon — 5:00
Historic Battery Park
Admission: free
212-984-8724
http://NewYorkArthritisWalk.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=142918
Sunday, May 21 Fourth annual event, with 10:00 am walk and expo entertainment area
Museum of the Moving Image
35th Ave. at 36th St., Astoria
Tickets: $10
718-784-4520
http://www.ammi.org/site/screenings/index.html
Sunday, May 21 TIME AND TIDE (Tsui Hark, 2000), 1:30
Webster Hall
125 East Eleventh St. between Third & Fourth Aves.
Tickets: $25 in advance, $30 at the door
Monday, May 22 First New York City appearance by new group formed by Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo, celebrating the release of their debut CD, ST. ELSEWHERE
Bryant Park Reading Room
Wednesdays at 12:30 through August 23
Admission: free
http://www.bryantpark.org/calendar/wordforword.php
Wednesday, May 24 Augusten Burroughs, POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: TRUE STORIES
Aaron Davis Hall
City College of New York
Convent Ave. between West 133rd & 135th Sts.
212-650-7100
http://www.aarondavishall.org/programs/may.htm#smith
Wednesday, May 24 Work-in-progress performance of multimedia presentation starring Roger Guenveur Smith, hosted by Ruby Dee, with sound design by Marc Anthony Thompson (Chocolate Genius), $10, 7:30